Utility clamp



T.- J. OWENS.

UTILITY CLAMP.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 6. 1922.

Patented Nov. 2 1, 1922.

F/EZ

FIE b IN VENTUR' 7.' OWE/V5 Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. OWENS, OF OAKLAND. CALIFORNIA.

UTILITY CLAMP.

Application filed March 6. 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS citizen of the United States,

Oakland, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Utility Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps and has for its primary object to provide a clamp which may be used for various and sundry purposes where a clamping action is desired, for example, as a vise for holding work in shops or for clamping and holding newspapers, loose papers and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive clamp which may be quickly and easily operated to provide for an effective clamping and holding of an object or objects between two aws, the manner in which the holding of the jaws in clamped position is effected and the means employed for this purpose being essential features of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a clamp of the character described. a resilient jaw closing member which is in the form of a spring lever operated so that by reason of its having a fulcrum and flexure point on the clamp and its being held under tension, it will. clamp and hold the jaws in clamping position.

The invention possesses other advantages and features some of which, with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the fol lowing description where I shall ou line in ful that form of the invention which l. have selected for i ustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. Tn said drawings l have shown one form of the construction of my invention, but it is to be understood that T do not limit myself to such form since the invention as expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of the clamp of this invention.

Fig. 2 represents an end view of the clamp.

Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the clamp as when in operative position.

J. OwnNs, a residlng at in the county of Alameda and Serial No. 541,596.

Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the clamp when in inoperative position.

Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of a modified form as when in inoperative or un clamped position.

Fig. 7 represents a top plan view of a modified form as when clamped.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the clamp of the invention is seen to conr prise two similarly formed jaws l and 2, each of which is formed in the nature of a metal plate of preferably rectangular form, and is provided on its outer edge with a right angularly extending flange or gripping portion 3. The portion 3 on the jaw 1 is provided with notches 4 at spaced points so as to form a plurality of gripping teeth 5. The jaws 1 and 2 are hinged to one another along certain longitudinal edges by having formed on one jaw a hinge barrel 6 and on the other jaw complementary hinge barrels 7, a pin 8 being inserted in said barrels in the usual manner. The jaw 1 may be provided with an outwardly extended tongue 9 provided with openings 10 whereby fastening elements may be inserted thru the openings to hold the clamp in a fixed position upon a bench. or the clamp may be hung upon a nail or other support.

As a means for holding the jaws 1 and 2 with the gripping portions 3 thereof in operative position, I provide a resilient or spring lever 11, one end of which is hinged or pivoted as at 12 to one end of the jaw 1. This lever extends so as to overlie the outside of the jaw 2 and. at a point intermediate of its ends is adapted to engage an upstanding abutment or fulcrum member 12. This member, 12' is formed by extending a portion of the metal of which the jaw 2 is formed outwardly from one end. of said jaw and then upwardly in an inclined por tion 13 and then straight downwardly as at 14 so that the end thereof abuts the outer face of the jaw 2. The curved end 15 of the abutment member 12 is adapted to engage the lever 11 at a point near the pivoted or hinged end of said lever, the main fulcrum point. however, being at the outermost portion of theabutment member, which portion is adapted to be engaged by the lever at a point near the central part of the lever. When the lever is engaged by the fulcrum member 12 and flexed, thru such engagement, the jaws 1 and 2 will. be forcibly pressed together and will effect a secure clamping action.

Means is provided for holding the lever in flexed position so that the jaws will be held in clamping position and said means is adapted to engage with the free end portion of the lever and hold the same with the lever flexed. A rigid locking lever 16 is pivoted at one end as at 17 to an upstanding car 18 mounted upon the jaw 2 and is adapted to. extend thru a slot 19 formed in the free end of the lever 11. The outer end of said slot 19 is defined by a transverse pin 20 which is adapted to engage the curved edge 21 of a notch provided in the lever 16. When said lever is swung from the position shown in Fig. 4, the spring lever will be flexed and the jaws 1 and 2 will be forced into clamping position. A slotted keeper 22 is hinged or pivoted as at 23 to the jaw 1 at the end thereof opposite the hinge 12 and when the lever 16 is moved into operative position the keeper is swung into position to receive the said lever and hold the same with the spring lever 11 in operative position. Thru this means it is possible to effect a clamping action between the jaws which will be sufiicient to hold large objects as effectively as in a vise. The clamping action is easily eflected by provision of the lever 16, which, if the spring lever 11 is comparatively stifl', may be readily moved into a position which will flex the stiff lever with little or no effort. The release of the jaws from clamping position may be quickly effected by moving the keeper 22 free of" the lever 16 whereupon the spring lever and lever 16 will immediately move into position shown in Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, a modified form of the invention comprises rectangular plate-like jaws 24; and 25 hinged to one another as at 26, as are the jaws in the first described form of the invention. The jaw provided adjacent its hinged edge with a rearwardly extending ear 27 having apertures 28, which apertures provide for hanging the clamp upon a nail or support or for the securing oil the clamp to a support, as desired. Hinged at one end as at 29 to an extension 30 on one end of the jaw 25 is a spring lever 31 corresponding to the lever 11. This lever is adapted to engage an upstanding abutment or fulcrum member 32 formed by bending the metal of the jaw 24 upwardly and angularly, as shown in Fig. 5. The outer end 01- the lever 31 is adapted to be heldin position such hat the l r ill he. flexed, by means of. a

resales resilient keeper 33. This keeper 33 extends upwardly from an extension 3 1 on the end 01 the jaw 25 opposite the hinge 29 and is integral with said extension. The keeper provided with an opening 35 adjacent its upper end thru which opening the free end portion of the lever 31 is adapted to extend. The upper end 01. the keeper is rounded by being bent back upon itself as at 36. T0 effect a clamping of the jaws, the object to be clamped is placed between them and. thelever 31 is pushed downwardly with the thumb so that it engages the member 32 and flexes. By pushing downwardly on the outer end of the lever, said outer end will engage the rounded upper end of the keeper, flex and push the keeper outwardly, due to such engagement and pressure and then snap into the opening 35. When the end of the lever extends into the opening the lever is under such tension that it will effect a tight clamping of the jaws 2 1 and 25. This type of clamp may be used for smaller articles such as clamping loose pieces of paper, newspapers, and other small objects, and it may be operated to clamp and unclamp much more quickly and easily than the heavier type of clamp first described.

1 claim:

1. A. clamp comprising jaws hinged to one another, a spring lever hinged to one of the jaws and extending over the other of the jaws, an abutment member on the second named jaw against which the lever is adapted to engage and flex and means associated with the first named jaw adapted to engage and hold the lever in flexed position.

2. A clamp comprising hinged jaws, a spring lever hinged at one end to one end of one of the jaws and adapted to extend over the other of the jaws, an abutment member extending outwardly from the second named jaw and with which the lever is adapted to engage at a point intermediate of its ends and means on the first named jaw which adapted to engage and hold the lever in flexed position in engagement with the abutment member.

A; clamp comprising jaws hinged. to one another, a spring lever hinged at one end to one of the jaws and extending over the other jaw, an abutment member on the second named jaw with which the lever is adapted to engage at a point intermediate of its ends, a lever pivoted at one end upon the second named jaw, said first named lever having an opening therein adjacent its free end thru which said second named lever is adapted to extend and a keeper member -for holding'the said second named lever in position maintaining the spring lever under tension.

4:. A. clam-p comprising jaws hinged to one free end thru which said second named lever is adapted to extend and a keeper 10 member for holding the said second named lever in position maintaining the spring lever under tension, said keeper member being pivoted to the first named jaw.

THOMAS J. OWENS. 

